Residents in the suburbs of Chennai are experiencing significant delays in obtaining LPG cylinder refills, with many reporting wait times exceeding 25 days. The shortage has severely disrupted daily life in the Tambaram and Avadi Corporation areas, compelling numerous households to rely on induction stoves or resort to purchasing cylinders from the black market.
Black Market Prices Soar Amidst Supply Crunch
As demand continues to rise and supply remains constrained, black-market prices for domestic LPG cylinders have skyrocketed. A cylinder that typically costs around Rs 1,400 is now being sold illegally for Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000, with some reports indicating prices as high as Rs 5,000. Small eateries, particularly those running out of stock, have been left with no choice but to purchase cylinders at these inflated rates.
Residents Voice Their Frustration
K P Arumugam, a 42-year-old resident of Kamaraj Nagar, shared his ordeal: "I booked a cylinder 28 days ago but have yet to receive it. When we call the delivery agents, their phones are switched off, or they promise delivery in a day or two, but nothing happens." He added that the problem has persisted for over two months. Similarly, S Anbu, who runs an eatery on Camp Road in Tambaram, said the shortage has forced him to reduce his menu. "We stopped serving breakfast. For lunch, we shifted from unlimited to limited meals," he explained. "We booked a cylinder on April 20 and were told it would arrive in 15 days, but we still haven't received it."
The shortage has also driven up living costs for lodgers. M Kishore, a techie living in a paying guest accommodation in Tambaram, reported that the rent for his triple-sharing room with food had increased from Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000. He noted that nearby cloud kitchens were also charging more, with a single idli costing Rs 20 and food supply depending on gas availability.
Consumer Welfare Association Alleges Neglect of Suburban Areas
T Sadagopan, president of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Consumer Welfare Association, alleged that suburban areas are being given lower priority for LPG supply despite growing demand. "Earlier, distributors received three to four truckloads daily, but now only one load is arriving," he stated. He also accused some delivery agents of forcing customers to share OTPs before delivery and illegally selling domestic cylinders at higher prices.
Distributors Acknowledge Supply Issues
Distributors have acknowledged that supply has been adversely affected in recent weeks. They mentioned that trucks are taking nearly an entire day to return from bottling plants. One distributor in the suburbs revealed that he is manually cancelling nearly 600 bookings per day due to supply shortages and pending e-KYC compliance.
